Tight security as Kenyans vow to continue protests

Most businesses in the capital are closed and roads around key buildings blocked.
Local TV stations have been showing empty streets in the central business district, with many security officers on patrol.

Many Kenyans on social media have been vowing to continue the protests, which reportedly led to 22 deaths earlier this week.

This is despite President William Ruto bowing to pressure and saying he will withdraw a finance bill containing unpopular tax proposals that sparked the original protests.

They have planned to hold demonstrations in the city centre in honour and mourn those killed in earlier protests.

Some have vowed to stage a march to the president’s official residence.
But some prominent people linked to the protests have been warning against this because of the risk of further violence.

At least 22 people were killed in Tuesday’s protests, according to the state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNHRC).
In the capital, all roads leading to State House were blocked with officers turning away some motorists and pedestrians.

In Mombasa, the second biggest city, it was calm with some people going about their business, a local TV station showed.

But there were some clashes in Migori, in western Kenya, where police lobbed teargas as they engaged with demonstrators.

There were also crowds of demonstrators who had gathered in Kisumu, also in the west.